


Imbecile

by AsheTarasovich (natalieashe), Boffin1710



Series: Moments of Life in the Shadows [20]
Category: James Bond (Craig movies)
Genre: Agent, Blood and Injury, Established Relationship, M/M, Missions, Quartermaster, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-23
Updated: 2017-06-23
Packaged: 2018-11-18 04:57:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11284173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/natalieashe/pseuds/AsheTarasovich, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Boffin1710/pseuds/Boffin1710
Summary: Moneypenny observes Q while he retrieves his lover from a mission cock-up.  Alec holds on to the words Q doesn't say.





	Imbecile

**Moneypenny…**

Q turns another monitor towards him for a better view and pulls another screen over to it. I watch him and marvel at the calm command he has over the situation that has become an utter cock up. Complete control. Maturity beyond his years. No wonder the Major chose him to mentor.

006 decided to linger too long in the building about to explode after he set the charges the Quartermaster had developed for him. Ignored the specific instructions Q had given him and now he was in trouble. Retrieval team is far away.

He pushes 006 to his limit and beyond. Chiding him. Challenging him. Refusing to listen to the fatalistic comments. Pushing every button he can think of to spur a determined anger in 006 to keep him with him until the Retrieval team arrives. He's alive, barely.

No one watching the scene play out would have any inkling that the Quartermaster and 006 are sleeping together. Not one hint of panic, deep emotional attachment, nothing. Within MI6, the Quartermaster takes precedence.

I know.

I am privileged to see into their private world, trusted.

I am lucky to be considered "family".

And I am allowed to be the one who is waiting with him at the doors of medical when 006 is brought in.

Alive.

Because the Quartermaster won't allow anything else.

 

**Alec...**

I know what he's doing. I don't even have to tell him how bad it is. He reads my tone, hears every sharp intake of breath, the whistle of air into lungs that, between smoke, debris and splinters of rib, are not working nearly as well as I need them to.

I will die here. And all because I doubted Q's new backup trigger on the failed detonator.

He has already reprimanded me. Poked at my lack of belief in him. Promised the next detonator will be planted in intimate areas. Clipped, urgent tones, that slide from sarcasm to anger to insults. All to get my arse moving on out of here.

I will die here. My shirt is heavy and sticky with my blood.

"Right, not left, you imbecile."  
"You realise you're leaving bright red markers to your whereabouts?"  
"Don't you dare sit, you have another two flights to climb."  
"006, no. On your feet... Get up, now!"  
"Fuck's sake, Trevelyan. We don't have all day."

I will die here. His voice will be in my ear, the way I always hoped. It won't be saying the words I want to hear.

It's dark and cold, in spite of the flames. I can't feel their heat at all. I know that's not a good sign. "Gonna... sleep, Q... just a little..."

"Do. Not. Close. Your. Eyes. 006."  
"Come on, old man, you can make it."  
"You will not die on me, Trevelyan. You have something I need."  
"Less than 20 minutes, Alec. Hang on..."

I am terrified in a way I don't understand. Death is a fact of life. It comes to us all. Working for Queen and Country, all too soon for some. I had nothing to keep me here for so damn long. And now I do, but fear has stolen my fight. 20 minutes might as well be a lifetime.

I will die here. And he knows it.

But he will not let me go peacefully. The last angry whisper I hear...

"I will not fucking lose you today, Alec. Ten minutes more."


End file.
